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Eyes & Ears

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Announcing Eyes & Ears

Using music, filmmakers have had us jumping for joy and cowering behind cushions for decades. Let us unravel this match made in heaven.

Throughout Eyes & Ears, we’ll be exploring the symbiotic relationship between music and film. In an interview with Edith Bowman, one of our TV and radio heroes, we’ll learn more about her brilliant podcast Soundtracking, how it started and what’s next from here. How about experiencing the first listen of an album in the cinema? We’ll tell you all about it. Plus we’ll be looking at Everyman‘s work with War Child at the Everyman Music Film Festival. If you like what you’re seeing and hearing, stay tuned.

An interview with Edith Bowman

When music and film collide.

With a history steeped in music, this year sees trailblazing charity War Child launch their first Film Festival, in partnership with Everyman Cinemas.

Since the release of influential aid album HELP in 1995, War Child have been using music as an awareness and fundraising tool. The charity exists to support children affected by conflict, providing protection, education and championing their rights. They currently work in seven countries, where war has had devastating consequences for children.

War Child are known for creating innovative and original partnerships. Building on the success of 2016s Rockumentary event, their relationship with Everyman grows year on year. The combination of music and film is a key for both brands. Using film gives the charity access to a new audience and rich content to covey their message.

Liana Mellotte, Head of Music & Entertainment at War Child UK said: “We are delighted to have such a fantastic line up at the War Child Film Festival this year, and we’re grateful for our partnership with Everyman Cinema. This is our second year working with the film industry and [this partnership] is crucial to helping us spread awareness and raise money to continue our vital life-changing work.

“Children are at the heart of everything we do. All the money raised will help us reach even more children who are forced to live with the brutality of war – from supporting Syrian children to access education, to reintegrating child soldiers in the Central African Republic and working in juvenile justice in Afghanistan.”

The War Child Film Festival kicks off on the 25th September in venues across London. With an exciting programme of film previews and premieres, the Festival includes special live performances, parties and DJ sets curated by bands and radio stations.

At elevenfiftyfive, we’re partnering with War Child to support the Festival. Along with ourscreen, we’re hosting a very special Spice World event, with none other than Sporty Spice herself, Mel C. Twenty years on from its release, the film is experiencing a resurgence, with ourscreen hosting sell out screenings nationwide. Ticketing for the War Child Film Festival is also being run by ourscreen.

All profits from the War Child Film Festival go directly to children in war torn countries. To be at the Festival; book your tickets here.

War Child Launch their inaugural Film Festival

elevenfiftyfive: What made you decide to start the Soundtracking podcast in the first place?
Edith Bowman: The show is a bit of an evolution of a show that I came up with for a radio show I was doing. It was something that I felt had a lot of potential and wanted to do it weekly. To do that I had to not rely on a broadcaster and do it myself. So my mate and I worked out how to do it and that’s how it started. I’ve always been a film fan and music has been such a big part of what I do that I found my interest in music in film growing and growing. I think it’s a subject that doesn’t get the attention it deserves, it’s a huge part of the process of film making and has such an impact on the final result.

eff: How does it work? What is the process that goes into your podcast each week?
EB: So I produce it, I book all the guests and I research them and do the interviews as and when we can get access to people then I send the audio to my Obi Whan and he edits it all together and it goes up for everyone to enjoy. We have been going for nearly a year and I think there are only 2 weeks we haven’t had a show out. That’s mainly down to our time getting pulled at the last minute which is incredibly frustrating. But hey what can you do! Also quite nice to leave people waiting.

eff: You’re constantly working within the music and film space, how do you find the time to fit it all in?
EB: I love it and I said to someone recently that if I had to give it all up except one thing, I think the film stuff and mainly Soundtracking would be the thing I kept. It’s our project and I get so much out of it and we also get such an incredible response from the people who take part but also the listeners, both of whom we are eternally grateful.

eff: You’ve had some seriously amazing guests join you. What has been the most stand out interview for you?
EB: Oh you know what is so great about the podcast and our guests, each one is SO different and unique to that individual person. I love hearing the stories and anecdotes that are shared, it’s a real journey or sound. Getting Sofia Coppola recently was a massive deal for me. I really wanted to speak to Chris Nolan about Dunkirk but unfortunately that got pulled but would love to do a special on that film’s sound with Hans, Lorne Balfe and also Gary Rizzo about the incredible soundscape of that film. Ben Wheatley I adore and is so much fun. Edgar was enthralling in our 2 parts with him. Would love to get Mica Levi on, I mean the list is endless of who we want and have planned.

eff: What’s next for soundtracking?
EB: Well we are celebrating our 1st birthday this month which is bonkers to think what we have been able to do in a year. We make NO money from it, we do it cause we love it. We would love to put on a few events, make a bit of a spectacle around film and music. We did get asked to do something at Latitude festival this year but it was just too short notice to pull something together that we were proud of so maybe next year. But just more of what we do and love really.

eff: Finally, what movie soundtrack has had the biggest impact on you?
EB: Ah that’s an impossible question really. A bit like asking what your favourite album is. It would change daily and so many parts of different films and soundtracks have had an impact on me from West Side Story to The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, Jungle Book, Interstellar, Trainspotting, Jackie, Black Swan, so so so many. So apologies I can’t give you one.

In her most recent episode, Edith chats with David Lowery about his new film, A Ghost Story, in cinemas now.Click to listen.